Georgia should reconnect with founders’ values

When James Oglethorpe and other trustees established Georgia as a British colony in 1732, they chose the motto “Not for self, but for others.” Oglethorpe was intent on making Georgia something different from the other Southern colonies. Starting with Savannah, Georgia was established with a unique urban-rural land ownership policy, without slavery, and open to a wide range of religions. The goal was an engaged community of citizens, without wide social divisions and where all would participate in civic life.

Today, our civic health is not what Oglethorpe hoped for. In the recently released Georgia Civic Health Index, authored by GeorgiaForward, Georgia Family Connection Partnership, UGA’s Vinson Institute of Government and the National Conference on Citizenship, Georgia’s levels of civic engagement trailed much of the country in most indicators: from how often we volunteer (34th nationally), to attending public meetings (36st nationally), to whether we trust all or most of our neighbors (44th nationally). And, while we express opinions about community or political issues online (6th nationally) and talk about politics with friends or family (17th nationally) at high rates, we register to vote and turnout to vote at lower rates than other states (41st and 38th, respectively, in 2010).

Demographic groups also participate in civic life at varying rates. Two groups participate at lower rates than others across most measures of civic engagement: (1) those with less than a high school diploma; and (2) those from the Millennial generation (born 1981-2004). In other words, the more educated you are and/or the older you are, the more likely you are to engage in civic life.

Why should this concern us? First, civic disengagement makes it less likely that the needs of all residents will be addressed, either through public policy or through self-help. Second, and equally compelling, where there is low social connectedness – simple things like talking to your neighbors; giving and receiving favors and eating dinner with family – there is greater economic vulnerability. Studies suggest that communities with strong social connectedness are more economically resilient, showing lower unemployment rates in bad times. Why? Because such communities look out for one another and help those out of work find new opportunities.

Finally, it is the fashion to want “quality of life” in our communities, but the Civic Health Index suggests we’re not doing the things that are most sustaining. Civic engagement creates places where neighbor looks out for neighbor and challenges are solved together. The alternative is to live with a level of mutual distrust, separated by silos and governed by rules that neglect instead of protect.

Civic engagement is not always easy. It can be cacophonous and messy and rarely does everyone get all that they want. But widespread engagement generally leads to creative solutions and allows us to build communities that work.

In a recent Time article entitled “Free to be Happy,” John Meacham explores the Declaration of Independence’s inclusion of “pursuit of happiness” as a central goal for America. Jefferson was referring to something quite profound, and often overlooked in today’s political culture. Freedom and Liberty are resounding concepts, but Jefferson knew that it was the day-to-day work of fostering human connections, of “good conduct” and “generous citizenship” which would ultimately define a society where every individual had value and could contribute to the life of the nation. That was happiness.